The add-on sale is a simple way to enhance your guest's spa experience while adding to your spa's profit margins. Adding a service or retail package onto your guest's standard listing of treatments will enhance their experience and create a sense of competency among your staff that is not likely to emerge under any other circumstances. Most of all the add-on sale contributes to your bottom line, client retention and the guest's overall spa experience. Learn how to easily implement an add-on strategy to your spa's operations in a few easy steps. READ MORE

Social media web sites have triggered an ever-growing global conversation on every topic imaginable. The question is not whether your hotel should be using social media to start a conversation about your property; that conversation is already happening. The question is, are you going to be a part of it? In this five-part series "A Hotelier's Guide to Social Media Marketing," I look at the many ways your hotel can grow and drive the conversation about your property on a number of social media platforms. To start, here are my top 10 best practices you should know to get your property started off right with social media. READ MORE

So you did it! You placed your hotel on the Twitter map! Now what? By this time all of you know what Twitter is, its capabilities, shortcomings, advantages and disadvantages. Most of you have probably decided by now if you will have a presence on the 140 character mass-marketing social media platform that has enjoyed immense popularity in the past year and a half. Read my article on why it makes sense to be on Twitter, why it isn't going anywhere, and how its mass global outreach can help your property. READ MORE

One thing that's no secret is the fact that there's not one single way to optimize guest communications. Instead, a variety of communication channels must be integrated and orchestrated for maximum impact: this is the essence of cross-channel marketing. It's no different with social media marketing -- the "new frontier" for marketers today. Read on to learn more about the value of social marketing for the travel and hospitality industry, as well as real-world examples from both inside and outside our market. Also, hear more about how to get started in a way that's a fit for your organization. READ MORE

If you're thinking of selling your hotel, or simply need advice on a specific area of running the business, you can find great value by tapping into your social networks. By now everyone has heard of social networking websites such as Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and various message boards; and business owners are finding a wealth of information by connecting with others on those sites. It's also important to remember, though, that small business organizations - as well as your own personal contact list - can serve as excellent networking resources. Read this article for details about social networking opportunities that hotel owners should consider when selling or running their establishments. READ MORE